Faith forages - May 2, 2012Homing in on June and Braveheart and their yearlings today, we had 2 chances for heart rates. June’s was still only at 64 compared to her summer rate of 80 or more. Braveheart’s was 73, which is not far from her summer heart rate in the mid 70’s.
We usually think of walking hibernation being completed by now as they transition from hibernation to full activity. It seems the early spring did not speed that up.
Lily - May 2, 2012On the other hand, we got a report from our associates in West Virginia who are co-authoring a scientific paper with us on another bear subject, but their report today was that the first family break-up has occurred after a very warm winter and spring, and the mother is cavorting with a male already. Family break-up for that family was on April 30th, which is 3 to 6 weeks earlier than they would expect.
The Den Cam watchers got a surprise today when Jewel and her cubs paid a visit to their den! A video of their visit can be seen at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iFDWSF8m_M. Unaware that Jewel had just visited her den, Sue Mansfield and Martyn Stewart joined Jewel and her cubs at a nearby white pine. They spent several hours with the family as Jewel foraged on vegetation and ant pupae. A video of Jewel and cubs from April 27 is posted at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-z_nJe2mhY.
Faith flips a rock - May 2, 2012Lily’s GPS unit failed so we joined her briefly this evening to replace it. With a few nuts the deed was done and Lily and Faith resumed foraging.
The BBC is filming daily to be ready for their first broadcast Sunday night to 140 countries. It will show in shortened form on NatGeo WILD channel at 9 PM ET Monday night.
Lily Fans did it again. They won a voting contest—this time making the bears’ home, Ely, MN, The Most Interesting Town in America. Check it out!
- http://www.northlandsnewscenter.com/news/iron-range/Americas-Most-Interesting-Town-goes-to--149530525.html
- http://kool1017.com/ely-minnesota-voted-most-interesting-town-by-readers-digest/
- http://wehearyouamerica.readersdigest.com/town.jsp?town=Ely&;state=MN
How did you all do it? Lily Fans felt it would be good for the bears for people to read in Readers Digest about Ely, MN. In addition to voting, they arranged a voting exchange with other towns—“You vote for this cause, we'll vote for yours." What goes around comes around. As part of all this, a nice Minot radio station, former competitors, campaigned to help Ely. Way to go, clever Lily Fans and all who cooperated to make this a success.
Thank you for all you do.
—Lynn Rogers and Sue Mansfield, Biologists, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center